more stats
3.4 miles
Distance
326 ft
Climb
-1,905 ft
Descent
00:44:34
Avg time
-1,580 ft
Altitude change
5,470 ft
Altitude min
7,121 ft
Altitude max
7,050 ft
Altitude start
5,469 ft
Altitude end
-8.8%
Grade
-49.7%
Grade max
35%
Grade min
3,681 ft
Distance climb
2 miles
Distance down
1,719 ft
Distance flat
00:44:34
Avg time

Royal Cascade Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Royal Gorge Park
    Cañon City, Colorado
  • Difficulty Rating
    Black Diamond Rate
  • Local Popularity
    55 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 80 in Trail Running
    • 90 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #113783 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #68516 in Trail Running
    • #46526 in Hiking
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T1 Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Direction
    Both Directions
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • Year Opened
    2021
  • Land Owner
    City of Cañon City

Spectacular and steep trail that connects Tunnel Drive with Fremont Peak and the Royal Gorge Park trail system. Expect and respect climbing and descending, foot and bicycle users. Do not cut switchbacks. Beware abrupt corners and areas of exposure. Be safe and a responsible human. Please note the 'steep' verbiage above - climbing this trail on a bike may not be your cup of tea.

Access Info

For the portion of trail between Tunnel Drive and Sheep Shooter Point (i.e. BLM lands):
Wildlife closure: closed to all access 24/7 June and July.
Hunting closure: closed to non-hunting public from 5pm to 9am September and October.
Open to all allowed uses at all other times.

Trail Supporters
  • BLM
    BLM
    Land Manager
  • City of Canon City
    Land Manager
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 8 rides
  • 25 miles avg distance
All
  • 46 rides
  • Last: May 28, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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Royal Cascade Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Jun 2, 2026 @ 9:45am (America/Denver)
Jun 2, 2026
 reporter Closed June and July for bighorn sheep lambing season. Will re-open August 1st.
Aug 1, 2025 @ 12:28pm
Aug 1, 2025
 reporter Trail open following bighorn sheep lambing season. Evening and morning closure hours start September 1 for bighorn sheep shooting season.
Jun 10, 2025 @ 3:03pm
Jun 10, 2025
 reporter Closed June and July for bighorn sheep lambing season. Will re-open August 1st.
Jan 7, 2025 @ 6:35am
Jan 7, 2025
 reporter 3-5 inches of snow
Dec 10, 2024 @ 3:00pm
Dec 10, 2024
 reporter ~6 inches of snow
more »
Status:
on Jun 2, 2026
Dry
Avg: 3.86 (4 votes)
Your vote: 0

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  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
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        Directions to royal-cascade trailhead (38.450280, -105.283570)

        Photos

        4 more »
        151 |
        Apr 15, 2024 @ 7:01am
        Apr 15, 2024
        330 |
        Aug 21, 2022 @ 6:43am
        Aug 21, 2022
        430 |
        Apr 8, 2022 @ 9:53pm
        Apr 8, 2022
        397 |
        Apr 8, 2022 @ 9:53pm
        Apr 8, 2022

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        Technical Trail Features (TTF)

        Routes with this trail

        16
        Royal Loop
        ★ 5.0 • 34 miles • 4,272 ft • 8 • Loop •
        30+ mile loop starting and ending in Cañon City which utilizes the Royal Gorge Bridge. Additional...

        3 Reviews & Comments


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        Frequently Asked Questions About Royal Cascade

        ▼ Where is Royal Cascade located?
        Royal Cascade is located in Royal Gorge Park, Cañon City, Colorado, United States. It is part of the Royal Gorge Park trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 38.45028, -105.28357.
        ▼ How hard is Royal Cascade?
        Royal Cascade is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The average grade is 8.8%.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Royal Cascade?
        Royal Cascade has 100 m of elevation gain. The trail has 581 m of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 1,667 m to 2,170 m.
        ▼ Is Royal Cascade a point to point trail?
        Royal Cascade is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.

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